Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)

Skills in Demand Visa Streams

SID visa holders can work in Australia in their nominated occupation for their approved sponsor under one of three streams:

• The Specialist Skills Stream
• The Core Skills Stream
• The Labour Agreement Stream

Specialist Skills Stream

This stream is designed for highly skilled professionals and is available if your employer wishes to sponsor you (as an overseas skilled worker) for periods of up to four years in most ANZSCO occupations.

• Minimum annual salary of $135,000
• Available for most ANZSCO occupations (excluding trade workers, machinery operators, and labourers), refer to the Core Skills Occupation List
• Fast-tracked processing
• Flexible occupation requirements
• Four-year visa validity
• Pathway to permanent residence

Core Skills Stream

This stream is designed for skilled workers and is available if your employer wishes to sponsor you (as an overseas skilled worker) for periods of up to four years in occupations listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).

• Minimum annual salary of $73,150
• Must be in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List
• Four-year visa validity
• Pathway to permanent residence

Labour Agreement Stream

This stream is available if your employer wishes to sponsor you (as an overseas worker) and has entered into a labour agreement with the Department.

General Eligibility (All Streams)

You might be able to get the SID visa, as an overseas worker, if you:

• have at least one year of full-time relevant work experience within the past five years
• meet English language requirements with an IELTS score (or equivalent) of level 5 overall, with a minimum of 5 in each component score
• meet any required skills and qualifications requirements including completing any skills assessments required
• if in Australia, hold a substantive visa, a subclass 010 (Bridging A) visa, a subclass 020 (Bridging B) visa or a Subclass 030 (Bridging C) visa
• meet health and character requirements
• meet the requirements of the stream in which you apply.

Application Process

The SID visa involves a three-step process:

1. Sponsorship Application by the employer
   • Employer must be or become an approved sponsor
   • Demonstrate compliance with Australian workplace laws
   • Meet training requirements
2. Nomination Application for a skilled position by the employer
   • Position must meet minimum salary requirements
   • Genuine position meeting market salary rates
   • Labour market testing requirements where applicable
3. Visa Application by the proposed employee
   • Complete skills assessment if required
   • Provide evidence of qualifications and experience
   • Meet English language requirements
   • Health and character checks

Visa Benefits and Conditions

SID visa holders enjoy:

• Work rights in their nominated occupation
• Ability to change employers with new nomination
• Up to 180 days to find a new sponsor if changing jobs
• All full-time sponsored employment counts towards permanent residence eligibility, even when changing employers
• A maximum of 365 days in total across their entire visa grant period to find a new sponsor, apply for a different visa, or depart Australia
• Travel in and out of Australia
• Include family members who can work and study
• Pathway to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme 186 Visa

Important Changes for Existing TSS Holders

If you currently hold a TSS visa:

• Your visa remains valid until its expiry date
• You can apply for a new SID visa when eligible
• Enhanced mobility provisions apply
• Transition arrangements are in place for employer changes
• Unlike the previous TSS system where changing employers would restart your time counting towards permanent residence, under the new SID visa, all full-time sponsored employment in Australia counts towards your permanent residency eligibility through the Employer Nomination Scheme (186 visa). This means you won't lose your accumulated time if you change employers.

How We Can Help

At This is Australia, our experienced migration agents provide comprehensive support throughout your migration journey, from assessing your SID visa eligibility and guiding employers through sponsorship requirements to managing your complete visa application.

Contact us today for a consultation to discuss your Skills in Demand visa options.